Getting Prepared for Midterms

Midterms are coming up this week and the Honors College wants to make sure you’re prepared for the long days ahead! Remember that October 3rd will be your last day to withdraw for on-campus classes while October 9th will be the last day for all eCore, eMajor, and GOML courses. Withdrawing isn’t recommended since it may harm your status as a full-time student and delay graduation, plus you are only allowed a total of 5 withdrawals for your undergraduate time. That being said, we’re here to give you some study tips to get you through midterms and keep this semester going strong.

1) Catch some Zzz’s: Pulling all-nighters before an exam has never been a good idea, simply because sleeping is the one time when your brain isn’t having to process information constantly and can slow down to reflect on the previously received information. By not getting enough sleep, your brain doesn’t have enough time to fully absorb all the material you just studied. In addition, when you deprive yourself of sleep, you aren’t running at full efficiency and your concentration is going to be lacking.

2) Spread Out The Material: Cramming is bad, really bad. You may remember it for an early morning test but the likelihood of you remembering it later on is very low. This creates a problem for material that you need to know for a final, need to apply for another class, or use in your career. College isn’t simply what you can make on a test; it’s also how you use that information in the real world. If you study the material for a short time over the course of several days instead of in one long session, you will better comprehend the material and grasp the concepts far better. By doing this you also can come back and review the harder parts once you have understood the simpler notes.

3) When in Doubt, Ask: If you aren’t completely sure about a concept or note, get some help. Ask a professor, a tutor, or someone who is taking the class or has taken it. Professors and tutors actually do want you to pass your classes and other students can understand the boat you’re in. Study groups are your friends! It’s a lot safer if you just reinforce what you know about a concept instead of going into a test having a completely wrong idea. Often times, clearing up one concept will help you comprehend the related material even better.

(Disclaimer: Don’t Do This)

4) Don’t rely on the Internet: This one may seem a bit ridiculous but going hand in hand with talking to your professors, don’t go to the Internet with all your questions and be very wary. Professors will teach the information they want you to know and in certain courses, definitions can vary and you don’t want to study one completely different than the professor intends. Remember that most people have access to the Internet so it is full of unreliable sources.

5) Change Your Environment: A lot of memory is tied into association. For instance, you may walk into a store and immediately think of someone because you held a conversation in that spot. If you alternate the spaces in which you study, frequently, you may be able to remember the information better by connecting it to the place in which you learned it. This is opposed to always studying in the library or a quiet room in your house which can cause all the information to blend together. The Honors house has plenty of cozy studying space and there is also a Honors study room in library room 1616 with the code available upon request.

6) Homework, homework, homework: Practice makes perfect; the more you utilize material, the better you will remember and understand it. Again, your professor isn’t going to give you an assignment that is irrelevant to what you need to learn and will probably pinpoint the most important concepts. Even if you have a professor that doesn’t assign a lot of homework, it’s still a good idea to find ways to practice, like with the exercises in the books.

7) Be Positive: Don’t slack off and forget all about your exams but don’t stress yourself too much either. As long as you’ve studied consistently, completed your assignments, and have made sure you understand the material, you’re going to do great. Worrying excessively or second-guessing yourself can actually reverse your desired results.

Remember every person has different ways of learning, so find your best method and stick to it. Good luck everyone!